Embroidery-frame.



A. H. ALTFULDISCH.

EMBROIDERY FRAME.

APPLIGATION FILED 1150.2, 1912.

1,077,21 1. l Patented oct. 28, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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A. H. ALTFULDISCH.

EMBROIDERY FRAME.A APPLICATION FILED DEG-.2, 1912.

- Patented 001.2211913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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AIMEE I-IONNARD ALTFLDISCH, 0F CAIRO, ILLINOIS.

EMBROIDERY-FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Get. 28, 1913.

Appication filed December 2, 1-912. Serial No. 734,568.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, AIMEE H. AL'rFUL- visor-i, citizen of the UnitedStat-es, residingy at Cairo, in the county of Alexander and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inEmbroidery- F rames, of which the following is a specification. Y

My present invention relates to embroidery frames and more particularlyto the type of embroider frame setforth in my copending applicationfiled J une 27, 1910, and the object of my invention is to provide aneXpansible, fabric holding frame swingingl-y mounted upon a verticalsupporting frame in such a marmer that it may be readily adjusted forconvenient use.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel form of swingingconnection between the fabric carrying frame and the supporting frame,permitting the former to be swung at any desired angle with respect tothe latter and so arranged as to be always held in adjusted posit-ion,no tightening of bolts or other fastening devices being required.

A further object of my invention is to provide a vertical supportingframe having laterally directed feet, which, when thfe frame is not inuse, may be swung to lie i'n a plane with the frame and still supportframe against a wall and out of t-he way. y

A still further object of my invention is to provide a fabric carryingframe and support-ing frame so constructed that the frames may not onlybe separated from each other, but that the members going to make up eachof the frames may be readily separated from each other to permit thepacking of the entire device in knocked down condition for readyshipment. And a still further object of my invention is to construct asupporting frame including standards having support-- ing feet at theirlower ends and supporting heads at their upper ends, the feet and headsbeing so formed that the supporting standards may be removed therefromand the heads attached directly tol the feet to support the fabricholding frame in but a slightly elevated position, thus permittingthepositioning of the entire device upon a table or bed.

Vith these and other objects in view, my invention will be more fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and thenspecifically pointed out in the claim which is attached to and forms apart of this application.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspect-ive view of my improvedembroidery frame in use, showing a fabric stretched thereon; Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the` fabric supporting. frame mounted directly uponthe support-ing feet, the standards in this case being removed and theheads carrying the fabric frame being connected directly with the feet;Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the structure shown in Fig. 1,parts being shown in section to more clearly illustrate certaindetailsof construction; Fig. 4 is a side elevation o-f the device,showing the fabric holdin-g frame swung into vertical position and thesupporting feet turned in suc'h a manner that the entire frame may bepositioned against a wall to occupy but little space; Fig. 5 is a detailsectional view, showing the manner of mounting the fabric holding frameupon the supporting heads of the vertical frame; Fig. 6 is a fragmentarysectional view illustrating the manner in which n Athe spacer barconnecting the standards is the same, permitting the positioning of tliedetachably secured in place. y

`Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated ini all the views of the drawings by the samei reference characters.

In the drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiment of myinvention, 10 designates a vertical supporting frame and 11 anexpansible fabric stretching frame swingingly mounted upon thesupport-ing frame. The supporting frame includes spaced apart, verticalstandards 12 and 13 which may be of any preferred size and shlape andwhich may be carved or otherwise ornamented, if desired, these standardsbeing usually made of wood in order to provide as light a structure aspossible. Each of these standards, as best shown in Fig. 3

z of thedrawings, is provided at its lower end with a reduced,cylindrical extension 14.

which seats in a cylindrical socket 15 formed in the central upperportion of an arcuately shaped supporting foot 16. These supportingstandards are connected adjacent their lower ends and held in properspaced relation by a spacer bar 17 also formed of wood and provided atits ends with reduced cylindrical extensions 18 which, as best shown inFig. 6 of the drawings, seat in cylindrical sockets 19 formed in thelower portions of the standards 12 and 13.

rlhe ends of the spacer bar 17 are provided with centrally formedlongitudinally extending bores 20 and the socketed portions of thesupporting standards are pro vided with transverse bores 21 in alinementwith the bores 20 when the spacer bar is in place. The end portions ofthe spacer bar are also provided with radially extending recesses 22adapted to receive internally threaded nuts 23 in such a manner as toposition them in engagement with the threaded terminals of bolts 24passed through the bores 21 and into the bores 20, the nuts being soproportioned as to be held against longitudinal movement as shown inFig. 6. These nuts are properly positioned before the parts areassembled and are preferably hidden from viewhand secured in place byplugs 25 inserted in t-he outer ends of the nut receiving recesses,these plugs being formed of the same kind of wood as the spacer bar andhaving their exterior faces shaped to conform to the surface of thespacer bar. The bolts 24 are each provided with a spherical head 26having transversely formed key receiving openings 27 by means of whichthey may be turned to firmly lock the parts in place.

Mounted upon the upper ends of the supporting standards are framesupporting heads 28 and 29, these heads being also formed of wood andprovided at their lower ends with cylindrical extensions 30 seating incylindrical sockets 31 formed in the upper ends of the standards. Setscrews 32 are threaded in the standards to engage by their inner endsagainst the cylindrical portions 30 of the heads and lock the same inposition. The heads 28 and 29 are preferably comparatively low, formedto combine with the standards and so shaped that when in place theyappear as part of the standards. The upper ends of the heads arebifurcated as at 33 to form spaced ears 34 and 35, the inner faces ofthe ears formed by the bifurcating of the ends converging toward theirupper ends to form in effect a wedge-shaped slot, as best shown in Fig.5 of the drawings.

The fabric stretching frame, previously designated as a whole by thenumeral 11, includes side members 36 and 37 formed centrally withdownwardly depending ears 38 adapted for engagement between the spacedears 34 and 35 of the standard heads, these ears, as shown in Fig. 5 ofthe drawings, being wedge-shaped to bear by their faces against theconverging faces of the ears 34 and Bolts 39 are passed through alinedopenings formed in the ears 34, 35 and 36 and winged nuts 40 arethreaded upon the bolts to frictionally clamp the ears 36 between theears 34 and 35. By this construction the side members 36 and 37 of thefabric stretching frame are swingingly mounted upon the supporting heads28 and 29, respectively, and because of the engagement of thewedge-shaped ears 36 of the side members in the wedge-shaped slots ofthe heads, these side members may be swung at any desired angle to thestandards without the necessity of first loosening the nuts 40 and whenswung to any desired position, will be firmly held in place. The endportions of these side members are reduced and threaded as shown at 41to receive adjusting nuts 42 in the form of relatively large disks whichmay be readily turned by hand. The fabric supporting frame also includesfabric holding' bars 43 and 44, the ends of which are provided withtransverse bores by means of which said fabric holding bars may bemounted upon the ends of the side members or spacer bars 36 and 37,these bores being of such diameter as to permit the ready movement ofthe bars over the threaded portions of said members. These fabricsupporting bars are mounted upon the ends of the side members 36 and 37exterior to the nuts 42 and it will therefore be seen that the fabricsupporting bars may be forced away from each other by a suitable turningof the nuts to stretch a fabric secured thereon.

The intermediate portions of the bars 43 and 44 are preferablycylindrical in shape and covered with fabric 45 as shown in Fig. 3 ofthe drawings, this fabric covering preferably being formed of flannel,felt or other soft material and being preferably secured upon the barsin such a manner as to be held against all turning movement thereon andthe fabric to be worked on is secured by its ends to the bars 43 and 44by sewing, pinning or otherwise securing it to the fabric covering 45 ofthe bars.

The sockets 15 formed in the supporting feet of the vertical frame areequal in di ameter to the sockets 31 formed in the upper ends of thestandards and it will therefore be apparent that inasmuch as thestandards are readily detachable from the feet and the heads from thestandards', that the standards may be removed from the feet and heads,and the reduced extensions 30 of the heads seated directly in thesockets 15 of the feet, if desired. Because of this conimage 1 1 Ystruction, the fa-bric iholdling frame may supported above a vtab-le orIbed lint-a comparatively 'low position and by fthe employment of thesupporting l:feet normally used in .connection .with the verticalstandards.

In operation, 4the supporting frame andiv fabric carrying frame areassembled and I positioned as shown in Fig. A`1 4of .fthe drawings andthe ends .of the fabric `fastened inl. any suitable manner to the fabriccovering4 ,of the bars 4.3 ,and 44 the outs 42 beinel turned toward thecenter of the side .member to permit the movement of the 'bars 43' and44 toward each other and therefore provide for the ready fastening ofthe fabric in place. Vhen the fabric has been secured in place, the nuts42 are turned in the reverse direction to force the bars 43 and 44 awayfrom each other and so stretch and hold the fabric, indicated by thenumeral 46 in place. Because of the fact that the side members 86 and 37are swingingly mounted upon the supporting frame, the fabric carryingframe may be readily swung to any desired angle convenient for thesewing, embroidering or quilting operation to be performed thereon andif desired may be swung in such aV manner as to permit the personoperating upon the fabric to view either the upper or lower sidethereof.

Inasmuch as the fabric supporting frame may be readily detached from thevertical frame by the removal of the bolts 39, it will be apparent thata number of fabric supporting frames of various sizes may be employed inconnection with a single supporting frame and that these frames may bereadily removed from or attached to the supporting frame even though thefabric is stretched thereon.

When the device is not in use, the supporting feet 16 may be swung atright angles to lie in the same plane with the supporting standards andspacer bar 17 and the fabric carrying frame may be swung to verticalposition to permit the placing' of the entire device against a wall andout of the way, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Thisoperation may be performed while the fabric is still upon the frame orwhen the frame is empty. Under the latter condition, the fabricsupporting bars 43 and 44 may be either removed completely from theframe or that bar which would ordinarily be upon the lower ends of theside members may be removed and positioned upon the opposite ends ofsaid members. It will also be apparent that if this latter method isadopted that the adjusting nuts upon the lower ends of the side membersmay be removed and applied to the opposite ends of said members tosecure the fabric holding bars in place. If the bars are to be locked inplace by means vfof 'the 'muts in this manner, Lthey ina-y, ifV-referred, be mounted upon tlie lower enf s Ioff the side members. Asythese various v.methodsof positioning the :bars and i nuts .when Atheldevice is vnot -in use will be :cleanly understood, fit has ibeenthought .un-

necessary to -illustrate them in the drawings.

If .the fabric .to be worked -upon ais to be .placed over :a table oribed,the feet are removed from the supporting standards 12 and 1 3 andthe .heads 28 and 29, together with the fabric supporting frame areremoved from the standards and applied directly to the feet asillustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Vith this construction, it willbe apparent that not only side members of any length but also fabricsupporting members of any length may be employed as the feet and headsare not connected to each other by a spacer bar. These same fabricsupporting frame members may be employed with the supporting standards,as well, by removing the bolts 24 and the spacer bar 17 when thesupporting standards may be spaced at any desired distance from eachother.

If the frame is to be stored for any length of time or packed forshipment, it may be completely taken apart by removing the feet andspacer bar from the standards, removing the heads from the standards andfrom the fabric supporting frame and by removing the fabric carryingbars and nuts from the side members of the fabric carrying frame. Inthis knocked down condition, the entire device may be packed in arelatively small space and in such a manner that it will not be brokenduring transportation.

Although I have illustrated and described the device as employed forstretching and supporting a fabric for embroidering purposes, it will ofcourse be understood that the device may be employed as a quilting frameor as a drying frame for stretching lace curtains or other delicatefabrics after washing. In fact, it may be employed under allcircumstances in which it is desirable to stretch or hold in stretchedposition, any kind of a fabric.

It will of course be understood that although I have illustrated anddescribed the device and all of its details of construction, I do notwish in any way to limit myself to these specific details as minorchanges in construction, within the scope of the appended claim, may bemade at any time, if desired, without in the slightest degree departingfrom the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

An embroidery frame including spaced standards provided in their upperends with sockets, heads having extensions seating in ears to pivot theframe on the heads, and 10 the sockets, and spaced ears with upwardlyClamping nuts threaded upon said bolts. converging inner faces, L fabricstretching In testimony whereof I aiix my signature frame havingdownwardly depending ears `in presence of two witnesses.

eno'aoinfr between the s seed ears of the hedg, tle outer faces of diieframe ears con- AIMEE HONNARD ALTFULDISCH verging upwardly to correspondto the inner faces of the first mentioned ears, bolts passed through thehead ears and frame Witnesses:

J. D. YoAKLnY, SAMUEL N. ACKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

